In conventional CMOS processes, built-in resistors from the active areas of a transistor protect the pull-up and pull-down devices by absorbing a portion of voltage drops, and also serve to limit the total amount of current that is allowed to flow through the devices during electrostatic discharge (ESD) events. However, in processes where the resistance of the active areas is small, or is reduced to improve the frequency response of CMOS circuitry, the active area resistance no longer functions to provide such a current limiting effect. A need exists to provide for limiting the current through active devices during ESD events without adversely affecting the speed at which such devices operate.